Too hot

No, this is not a whining blog about how hot it is. This is a blog to plead with pet owners that it is too hot to leave you dog in the car for any legnth of time. Even 5 minutes is too long.

A 2007 study by San Francisco State found temperatures inside a car, with windows cracked, can rise almost 20 degrees in 10 minutes, 35 degrees in 30 minutes and up to 50 degrees in an hour. Hundreds of beloved canine companions are unintentionally killed or injured each year by being left in hot cars, even with windows cracked and only for a short time. Some states have made it a crime to leave your dog unattended when conditions on endanger the animals health.

Just think- today the temp was pushing 100- you do the math. People, leave Fido AT HOME!!!! And if you must take Fido with you, don't stop at the store for that laundry soap on your way home. Is your laundry more important than your pets safety??

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What bothers me is that you tell 'em and tell 'em, but someone is still going to do it - "For just five minutes". Even if the dog "looks OK" the heat and humidity here can put horrible stress on their little heart and lungs - after all, they're wearing fur coats while you are in tank tops and shorts! and they can't sweat to cool off...

Love me, love my dog - Phydeaux goes with us when I KNOW he'll be welcome where we are going. If he gets too hot while we're driving, we hit the drive thru for some cold water and a bunless burger!

Today he and Sasha didn't even want to go walkies, it was sooo hot. And it isn't even real summer yet!!!

"The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them." -- George Orwell

I don't even delay long enough to go in the store and have the driver paged - I call 911 immediately.

A Deputy told me once it is illegal to leave an animal unattended in a vehicle at any time, not just summertime, but I have not been able to find that in the SC Code of Laws. Maybe it was an interpretation some court has made.

I have a heavy hammer in my truck for breaking auto glass in case the dog appears critical, but I'm not eager to use it. Let the law do their job, around here they are usually pretty prompt.

Quicker, more effective, and less shattered glass everywhere. "Punch" it down in the lower corner, and the glass shatters immediately, and most falls down inside the door. Plus you can carry it in a pocketbook (don't recommend a pocket - it makes holes)

If someone is going to leave an animal in the car for a minute or two leave the AC on full blast. Technically, you're not supposed to do that, but if I am running into a store to drop off a video or grab something quick, I make sure they are every bit as comfortable as I would be waiting for my husband in the car. Katie loves to go to the dump with me or on a quick errand. But never, ever would I put her health at risk. The K-9 team often has to leave their babies in their SUV for a few minutes, but they run their AC full blast too. When I see someone crack their window and inch with the car off and go do whatever, it makes me so mad. I don't know if they honestly just don't know or don't care what they are putting their pets through.

It's not just cars that can be deadly. I'm astounded by the number of people who leave pets in closed unairconditioned garages or tied out without shelter on these hot days. They can easily die of heat stroke! (like that husky last summer.)

I bought that big hammer from a "Dollar" bin at CarQuest. Yellow Jacket said "What you want that thing for?" with a worried look.

"I might wanna hit something big," I told him.

It's turned out we use it a lot, to drive the stakes securing the pop-up canopys for the Pet Adoption Fair, whop the trailer hitch in and out, you'd be surprised how often a lady needs a really big hammer.

I'll keep my eyes open for a spring loaded punch, but hey, the hammer was only a dollar.

h) Locking in vehicle. It shall be illegal for any person to leave an animal unattended in a vehicle. The animal control officer assisted by another law enforcement officer will remove the animal when the officers' opinions are that the animal is in distress.
...

I'll warrant Jasper may have one by now as well. Ours is relatively new. A few years old, maybe 5 at most?
A dog died at the HoJo's in Bft. several years ago, while owner slept inside. That was the battle cry.
A BCSO K-9 dog died at the age of 2 and I am pawsitive it was heat exhaustion.

I was on a trip one time to visit relatives with my cat and left him in the car to in to the restroom but I left the key in the ignition so I could leave it running with the AC going full blast and took the automatic opener thing with me instead of a second key for some reason, I think I had lost it or something. Big Mistake! I found out you can't get back into a car with the clicker thing if the key is in the ignition. What a dumbo! I had to wait 2 hours in middle of an interstate rest stop for a locksmith to come and pay a lot. The cat was comfortable the whole time LOL!

I remember the BCSO K-9 death, the cruiser's temperature monitor system failed. It wasn't the handlers fault but it cost the dog's life and the county a bundle.

Thanks for the link! Don't hold great expectations for Jasper County to have or enforce much in the way of animal protection laws. A Jasper County Animal Control officer once advised his friend who had adopted a pit bull puppy from us at JARM that the adoption form we used provided for spay surgery, it did not specifically require it to be done. That was corrected but too late to help that puppy.

The fact is State Law requires animals adopted from an Animal Shelter to be spayed or neutered and there is a $200 fine for failure to do so. That's how I learned to print out the law and keep a copy of it with me. Jasper County Deputies either do not know the law or choose to ignore certain parts.

The adopter named that little puppy "Dollar", no doubt in expectation of the money he would make from breeding her repeatedly. He also refused to keep her protected out of sight from the street, and she was stolen from him, probably by somebody with the same ambitions.

If it's illegal to leave pets unattended in vehicles why is it not illegal to leave them in unairconditioned garages? In my opinion they should be the same. I came home one time and our AC unit had broke. When I got to the door my dog jumped me and gave me a dirty look as if it was MY fault that the AC had shut off. Suffice to say we had the AC people out that night.

I agree, garages are for cars, not dogs. There are many things in a garage that are very bad news for a puppy or dog including antifreeze, battery acid, fertilizer, paint thinner, gasoline, grill cleaner, bug spray, deck stain, I have seen animals badly hurt by contact with all these common items.

And you are correct the heat can build up very quickly in an unventilated area. I have called on people who keep dogs in garages and tried to achieve a better situation for the dog but it's a dangerous thing to do. Any more I just call Animal Control, and make certain I give them a good address.

My fob still locks and unlocks the car with the key in the ignition. Like I said, I leave the AC on for a super quick errand (like to pay for gas) and lock it and use the fob to unlock it all the time. Maybe it varies by model.

Stephanie I remember now it was rented car Maybe why I only had one key I do't remember exactly. I think it was a Cavalier type thing and it was a few years ago so maybe the clickers are different now. But in case it is realted to model I guess it would be a good idea to try it with your car first. With someone inside just in case!

got inside, locked the doors while the car was running with me inside, and the clicker unlocked the doors. I tried this to make sure that it would open the doors, just in case this was to happen accidentally, or if I needed to do it on purpose. LOL Crazy me for trying. LOL.

Sorry but I find the law to be as usual, stupid and lazy. Why can't legislators write "smart" laws? Basically it doesn't make a difference whether you're gone 1 minute or 30 minutes, wheher the car is left on and locked with the air conditioner going or not.

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